Water is one of the most important and vital natural resources. It is the very life-blood of a sustainable society. In the United States, the ownership and use of water is governed by law, usually state law. There are two general legal systems for the regulation of water. In the eastern United States, water is regulated by riparian water rights. In the western United States, where the climate is often arid and water is more scarce, water is regulated by the prior appropriation doctrine. Under the prior appropriation doctrine, all naturally-occurring waters are deemed to be owned by the public as a whole, but regulated by the states as trustees for the public. The states administer the regulation of water through state regulatory agencies, usually headed by an official often called the “state engineer.” All water not already appropriated, i.e., not being used, is available for appropriation and use by any person for a beneficial purpose. Because water is owned by the public, one who desires to appropriate water to put it to a beneficial use (referred to as an “appropriator”) does not “own” the water, but obtains only a right to use the water. The appropriator therefore only owns a “water right.”
A water rights agency maintains the records and information associated with each water right, usually with a separate file for each water right. The paper records within a water right file are available for review and inspection by members of the public at the office of the water rights agency. In addition, most water rights agencies maintain electronic copies of water rights records, such as in a computer database, which allows the water rights agencies as well as the public to electronically search for and retrieve water rights records and information. Some of these databases and water rights records are available to the public via the Internet.
However, water rights agencies' electronic repositories and databases have only limited usability for robust water rights searches and analyses. For example, a water right file or information can be obtained only by entering the assigned water right number or the name of the water right's owner for a specific water right. This requires that the searcher have a specific water right to search for and know specific identifying information about the water right. In addition, the information obtained from a water rights agency database in a water right search is limited to the single, specific water right searched. The information provided by a water rights agency database is limited, and relevant water rights information is often difficult to locate. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved water rights analysis tool.
Together, the Figures illustrate specific aspects of the novel system, methods, and products described herein and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the following description, the Figures demonstrate and explain principles of the system, methods, and products.